Like many benign skin conditions, the main cause of skin tags, aside from skin friction, remains uncertain: genetic predisposition is considered one of the most significant factors. In several cases, a correlation has also been observed between the development of skin tags and an acute inflammatory process. Skin tags are not contagious, nor can they develop into malignant tumors.

Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that skin tags may also be influenced by hormonal factors: while men and women up to the age of 50 may develop skin tags with similar probability, after this age a higher incidence has been observed in women.